The purpose of the Enhanced Particulate Matter Surveillance Program was to provide scientifically founded information on the chemical and physical properties of dust collected over a period of approximately 1 year in Djibouti, Afghanistan (Bagram, Khowst), Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iraq (Balad, Baghdad, Tallil, Tikrit, Taji, Al Asad), and Kuwait (northern, central, coastal, and southern regi...

We have previously shown that chronic exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter, PM₂.₅) pollution in conjunction with high-fat diet induces insulin resistance through alterations in inflammatory pathways. In this study, we evaluated the effects of PM₂.₅ exposure over a substantive duration of a rodent's lifespan and focused on the impact of long-term ...

OBJECTIVE To compare tobacco smoke-derived particulate levels in transportation and hospitality venues with and without smoking in 32 countries using a standardised measurement protocol. METHODS The TSI SidePak AM510 Personal Aerosol Monitor was used to measure the concentration of particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM(2.5)) in 1822 bars, restaurants, retail outlets, airpor...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently revised the national ambient air quality standards to include a new PM-2.5 particulate standard. We examine the contributions of fine (PM-2.5) and coarse (PM-2.5 to -10) fraction of typical urban aerosols to particle doses in different lung airways resulting from 24-h exposure to the standard concentration of 150 microg m-3. The aerosol is...

BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study was to investigate activation of inflammatory markers in human macrophages derived from the U937 cell line after exposure to particulate matter (PM) collected on dairy farms in California and to identify the most potent components of the PM. METHODS PM from different dairies were collected and tested to induce an inflammatory response determined by ...

OBJECTIVE Fine particulate matter <2.5 microm (PM(2.5)) has been implicated in vasoconstriction and potentiation of hypertension in humans. We investigated the effects of short-term exposure to PM(2.5) in the angiotensin II (AII) infusion model. METHODS AND RESULTS Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to PM(2.5) or filtered air (FA) for 10 weeks. At week 9, minipumps containing AII were implanted...

Urban forests have been shown to be efficient for reducing air pollutants especially for particulate matters (PMs). This study aims to reveal the PM blocking capacity of two common artificial landscape species, Sabina chinensis and Liriodendron chinense and to investigate spatial-temporal heterogeneities by estimating the vegetation collection velocity of coarse (PM10) and fine particles (PM2.5...

This paper is a comprehensive study dealing with the parameters that influence the response of a resistive soot sensor which was developed for Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) failure detection in a past project. From the conductance measurement between two Pt electrodes, and a regeneration strategy, this kind of sensor can provide the weight concentration of particulate matter (PM). In this stu...

Compared with common dust storms, saline dust storms transport high concentrations of fine-grain saline and alkaline material. The saline dust storm differs from common dust storm, especially considering the sources of the suspended particulate matter (PM), chemical composition, grain size, and circulation processes. Atmospheric particulate matters (TSP, PM10, PM2.5, and PM1) and their water-so...